The school motto is an ancient Cornish phrase, Francha Leale Toge, which translates as "frank and loyal art thou".

In 1703 this fund was used to purchase land west of St James's, Piccadilly, for education and other charitable purposes and, independently, in 1707 Elizabeth founded the Godolphin School, Salisbury, from her own resources.

From 1906 onwards it received grants from the London County Council and the Local Education Authority for equipment, library books and buildings.

After the abolition of the scheme, the school chose to revert to full independent status in 1977 rather than join the state system and turn comprehensive and resumed the charging of fees to pupils.

In the same year the nearby church of St John the Evangelist, designed by William Butterfield and built in the late 1850s, was closed and acquired by the School on a 125-year lease.